Resort Day @ Universal Hotels?

[mirlow]

We are going in January and I have an extra day and I can't figure out where to stay? I am debating if I want to spend the extra money and stay at the AKL concierge (my favorite), save some money and get a standard room at the WL or try a Universal hotel out? I have no idea what to expect from the Universal area? I don't think we will be going to the parks it would just be a day to hang out. What hotel would be the best to relax all day? I have 3 young kids (7, 4 &1). How far away is Universal from WDW? Are the hotels close enough to walk to and from? I believe I read a post that if you get a discounted rate they will no longer honor your Loews card? If so would it be better to get the discounted rate or make a reservation through the Loews website to get a possible upgrade? The Loews site has RPH for $147 for GV, $189 PBH GV and HRH for $229 GV. I haven't called to see if any discounts are available with the Entertainment card or the Fan card.
Thanks

 

[PartyofSix]

Yes you can walk from hotel to hotel or take a boat taxi to citywalk and board different boats to the resort you want to visit. I would'nt stay at a US on site resort unless your prepared yourself to raise your standard from what your accustomed to from Disney resorts. I am not knocking the WL and other new hotels at Disney. But you will be so rotten from the treatment your in for at Lowes you may never want to go back. The beauty to onsite it the FOTL you get at the parks. So you'd be depriving yourselves not to enter at least one park to get a taste of the spoils of this concept. Fastpass will be a memory to you. As far as where you want to stay my question to you is what is your taste? Do you like tropical? Do you like the party happening seen? Do you want to spark a dap of romance into your trip? Then we might could help you more. What do you want from your stay? Do you need club level? Do you need a or want a suite? Are you lowes blue, gold or platuim? Do you want spa services? To answer your question lowes has always given me and other lowes memebers our freebies using ent. rate which is the lowest available rate many have ever found. I always book through lowes and present my card at check in and request the amentie I want for that trip. You don't have to get the same one each time. Give us more details and maybe we could help you out more.

 

[PartyofSix]

Yes you can walk from hotel to hotel or take a boat taxi to citywalk and board different boats to the resort you want to visit. I would'nt stay at a US on site resort unless your prepared yourself to raise your standard from what your accustomed to from Disney resorts. I am not knocking the WL and other new hotels at Disney. But you will be so rotten from the treatment your in for at Lowes you may never want to go back. The beauty to onsite it the FOTL you get at the parks. So you'd be depriving yourselves not to enter at least one park to get a taste of the spoils of this concept. Fastpass will be a memory to you. As far as where you want to stay my question to you is what is your taste? Do you like tropical? Do you like the party happening seen? Do you want to spark a dap of romance into your trip? Then we might could help you more. What do you want from your stay? Do you need club level? Do you need a or want a suite? Are you lowes blue, gold or platuim? Do you want spa services? To answer your question lowes has always given me and other lowes memebers our freebies using ent. rate which is the lowest available rate many have ever found. I always book through lowes and present my card at check in and request the amentie I want for that trip. You don't have to get the same one each time. Give us more details and maybe we could help you out more.
Universal is just down the road from disney it's only 10 minutes drive in good traffic conditions.

 

[mirlow]

I looked at some great pictures of all 3 resorts and they look awesome. That is why I am having a hard time deciding I don't even know what type of room? A club level sounds nice, but a kidsuite would be fun. A standard room at RPH looks great for the price or a deluxe room at PBH would be luxurious. Is one better than the other if you are just going to hang out at the resort and you have kids? We will only be there for one night so I don't think there will be time for us to go to the park. This will be our first time at Universal and I really just wanted to hang out and check out the resort(s) and see what the Universal area even looked like. Is it silly to go for the night and not go to the parks? Would it be worth it to leave WDW and stay there for one night just to check it out? I was looking at my Entertainment book and the Universal resorts aren't in there? There is an Entertainment rate, right? I just got my Lowes card yesterday

 

[PartyofSix]

Yes it's worth it., and yes you'd have time to do BOTH parks and yes I'd recommend it. The ent. rate is offered just ask when making your ressie. They don't allow it on the suites including the kids suites. Club level is only offered at HRH and RPH. All offer a Deluxe room. I do a deluxe room at PBH and there very large. You get a tub and shower (huge bathrooms) w/ upgraded amenties. The beds at PBH are heavely so to speak. Duvet down comforters and pillows to your hearts desire! Views are wonderful no matter what you choose to look at. Keep in mind that on the day of arrive your front of the line cards are good for that day and the day of departure. You can ask for a late check out and have both days in the parks if you like. You will not be dissappointed as this is service and luxury at it's best no matter which hotel you book. PBH usually books up the least amount so there you would have the luxury of getting an upgrade more so than RPH or HRH. Star Service on your phone is a beutiful thing it's concierge service at your finger tips at any of the three hotels. I prefer PBH myself. I have 2.5 triplets and 10 yo girls and we take our nanny so two rooms are a must for us. We get the ent. rate at 180.00. I have booked a garden view and have been upgraded to a suite for $35 because of lowes gold at PBH. The others book up solid and it's more unlikely to get the upgrade. PBH is the most romantic and most luxruous of the three! Theres a spa three pools and games rooms great resturants that want break your wallett if you can believe that. Theres a great pizza parlor on site, Mama Della's we love Del tora and one more I can't remember at the moment. A gelato bar lots of shops to shop in everything from US souviours to undergarments! It's a beautiful thing and with fotl you'll have plenty of time to do the parks. NO wait for you! You just show your room key and go through a separate line and cut in front of the non onsite guest ride to the loading of each attraction or ride!

 

[PartyofSix]

I forgot to mention a deluxe pool view at PBH usually is 180 with ent. rate garden and bay view can be had for 159 or so I think.

 

[ksdave]

We are doing one night at PBH, Feb. 1st. I am so looking forward to this stay and cannot wait to try out the FOTL. After years of WDW hotels, the last couple being at All-Star Sports, this should be a complete shock to my wife and kids.

 

[PartyofSix]

Dave many compliments on your choice to stay and get it a try. I know how much you love disney but you will be so spoil and make a few days for universal as part of your vacation from now on. You will LOVE PBH. Can't wait to hear what you think when you get back home.

 

[ksdave]

Tammy;
Actually, our last family trip to UO & WDW was May 2001. After two days at UO, we spent 5 days at WDW. My kids told me when we got home that, if we did another trip like that, they wanted 3-4 days minimum at UO and whatever was left over at WDW. Unfortunately, the only trip I could make last year was a Sunday-Monday business trip to Tampa. I flew down on Saturday and did UO on Sunday, business on Monday and back to KS that night. This year, all four of us fly into MCO on Friday night 1/31, do UO on Sat. and Sun. 2/1 and 2/2, Busch Gardens Mon. 2/3, business Tues. 2/4, and fly home. My kids are thrilled and my wife is looking forward to the relaxation at PBH.
Me, I just want to do Spidey and MIB a couple dozen times each .

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Tammy Party of Six,

We are also a party of six and planning our first trip to universal. We have been to WDW and would like to add something new. I am a Lowes Platinum member and would like some info. on your upgrade to a suite. We also need the 2 rooms when you got the upgrade (for 35$) to a suite did it connect to your other double room??? Trying to figure out what is best for us to book. I am going to try and get the entertainment rate as well. Thanks for any information you can provide.

 

[PartyofSix]

Upgrades are available if the rooms are available at check in. At PBH you have a greater chance it seems for an upgrade because they don't sell out like the others seem to. You can be upgrade to a Portifino suite from any room you have booked. So if you call and got a ressie for two rooms at the best price you should get the upgrade. Although I have heard that your rooms much be atleast 200 each to qualify for the upgrade. I don't know if you can get it with the ent. rate because of the price falling just shy of 200 w/ tax. Last year we had to get three rooms for all of us because there was 7 total on that trip. We are getting two rooms for July and hope for the upgrade which will give us the king room and the queen room that ajoins to the suite. So if you booked to rooms you'll get the parlor area if it's available. You may want to call and request the upgrade about 30 days before your travel date. Your kids look a little older you might want to book a queen room and then call and ask for the upgrade. If you get the upgrade you would have a king pull out sleeper sofa which would give you bedding for 6 w/o having to pay for the 2nd room. You'll also get a butler pantry which includes a sink small ref. and coffee pot and microwave.